NFC EAST

DALLAS

Patrik Walker of CBSSports.com says the Cowboys are clearing cap space for a DAK PRESCOTT deal:

There’s some creative bookkeeping going on with the Dallas Cowboys, and for good read reason. The team recently restructured the contract on All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith, converting $8.9 million of his salary into a signing bonus, adding a voidable year to the deal and freeing up $7.12 million in cap space. They’ve now also restructured the deal on All-Pro right guard Zack Martin, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, freeing up another $8 million in space and leaving some to wonder what the sudden push for cash is truly for. Currently sitting at a projected $17.5 million in cap space for 2020, sources tell CBS Sports it’s not for a looming big name free agency signing.

It’s for Dak Prescott.

Just as the timing of Smith’s restructure with the release of All-Pro safety Earl Thomas from the Baltimore Ravens in August meant nothing in the realm of signing the latter, nor does the move on Martin’s money. The Cowboys remain interested in the controversial safety, per sources, but are also in an unmotivated hold pattern when it comes to him, particularly after signing former Dallas defensive back Brandon Carr — who also spent time at safety in Baltimore recently — in a move owner Jerry Jones labeled as “fortuitous” when asked about Thomas. In play with Carr is a level of ingenius flexibility thanks to the team’s maneuvering of the newfound 2020 practice squad rules, so while Thomas is still on their radar, it’s Prescott’s pockets they’re aiming for.

Martin, who signed a six-year, $84 million contract extension in 2018, is willing to help in the cause.

Does this mean nothing ever comes of the interest in Thomas? No, it does not, but it is to say that’s not the financial bullseye as they look ahead to a 2021 season that could see the salary cap decrease by roughly $20 million due to potential revenue losses driven by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With a cap floor already set at $175 million, it’s moving in the wrong direction for the first time in more than a decade, and at the wrong time for the Cowboys. Prescott, who is currently under a franchise tag that pays him $31.4 million in 2020, is set to earn $37.7 million under a second tag if he and the Cowboys whiff a third time on agreeing to a new deal.

For the first time, some members of the Cowboys will kneel during the playing of Our National Anthem.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Despite Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ long-held stance that players are to stand for the national anthem, some Cowboys players will be kneeling during the “Star-Spangled Banner” on Sunday night.

That’s the word from Ezekiel Elliott, who said in an interview for today’s PFTPM Podcast that some of his teammates will join the many NFL players kneeling to protest racism and police brutality.

“I think we’re going to have guys kneeling, we’re going to have guys standing, and the biggest thing is that we’re all supporting each other,” Elliott said. “We’re all supporting each other and that’s what’s going to bring us all together.”

Elliott said he believes Jones will be OK with the players who decide to engage in a silent, peaceful protest during the anthem.

“I think everyone in the locker room feels that we’re going to get support from ownership, coaching staff and from each other. I think everyone is going to feel free to express themselves however they choose to,” Elliott said.

In the past, Jones has made clear that he doesn’t support kneeling during the anthem. But since the death of George Floyd, millions of Americans have changed their perspectives about the anthem protests and the reasons for them. And at this point, it would be a major surprise if at least some players on all 32 teams aren’t kneeling during the anthem in Week One.

– – –

S XAVIER WOODS will be among those making that choice.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Cowboys safety Xavier Woods has not practiced in a while because of a groin injury, but the team does not believe that he will miss Sunday’s opener against the Rams.

That was the word from team owner Jerry Jones during his Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan. Jones said Woods should practice during the week and be in the lineup for Week One.

“Yes I do. Yes. Everything is on go,” Jones said, via the team’s website. “It would be really a surprise if he didn’t get out there Sunday night. I think he got a good checkup yesterday and should be moving around out there this week.”

The Cowboys released HaHa Clinton-Dix last week, which leaves Darian Thompson set to start alongside Woods. Donovan Wilson and fourth-round pick Reggie Robinson are on the active roster as reserves and Brandon Carr is back with the team as a member of the practice squad who could be promoted if the team wants other options for the back end of the defense.

NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY

So who are the QBs that RB LEONARD FOURNETTE is throwing under the bus?  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Leonard Fournette left Jacksonville after being cut and headed southwest to Tampa to join Tom Brady’s Buccaneers.

Moving across Florida, the running back is glad to join a contender and isn’t fretting about what role he’ll play in Tampa.

“I don’t really worry about expectations,” he said. “Football is football. I’ve been playing the same game for 25 years. I mean, for the first time in my life, I really have a quarterback. So that’s eye-opening for me.”

To be fair, few quarterbacks in NFL history can adequately compare to Brady. On the other hand, the 25-year-old didn’t stutter noting it’s the first time he’s really had a QB.

Ignoring his high school and college QBs, Fournette’s first two years with Blake Bortles are likely holding the bulk of the weight in the RB’s mind.

Bortles’ struggles played a significant role in Fournette facing stacked box after stacked box his first two seasons. Particularly the disastrous 2018 from the QB was part of why the Jags sunk so quickly from playoff contender to afterthought.

Last year, things got off to a bad start with Nick Foles’ injury. Gardner Minshew played well behind a porous offensive line, throwing 21 TDs, six INTs and 3,271 yards in 12 games — compare that to Brady’s 24/8/4,057 in 16 games last year. It seems Fournette might not have been taking a shot at Minshew so much as differentiating between playing with a rookie QB rather and a 20-year vet like Brady.

Fournette added that in the Bucs’ offense, he doesn’t have to be the heavy-lifter for the first time in his career.

“And not a lot of pressure is gonna come on me,” he said. “As far as game-planning and changing things, it’s great for me. I’m happy to be back there with one of the greatest, well, the greatest that’s played this game, and I get to learn from him too. My first two days here, I was sitting here talking to him about other defenses, what he expects, what I expect from him, you know our expectations because they’re high right now. But we have to start with each other on the team to understand each other and get a better communication before anything.”

Coach Bruce Arians noted that Fournette is expected to have a “solid” role starting Week 1. What that means in the grand scheme of snaps in a backfield that contains Ronald Jones and LeSean McCoy remains to be seen.

His LSU QBs included Danny Eting, Brandon Harris and Anthony Jennings.

NFC WEST

LOS ANGELES RAMS

The Rams extend CB JALEN RAMSEY – and somehow save money on the cap.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Add Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the list of players getting their contract extensions done before the start of the regular season.

Ramsey and the Rams have been talking about a deal for some time and the Rams announced that it was done on Wednesday morning.

The team announced that it is a five-year deal and multiple reports peg the extension as being worth $105 million with $71.2 million guaranteed at signing.

The deal comes shortly after Tre’Davious White set a new bar for cornerback contract and ends White’s stay at the top of the heap. Ramsey’s $21 million average annual salary is also the highest for any defensive back in league history.

Getting the contract done should allow the Rams to drop back below the salary cap. They were $400,000 over the limit and had until Wednesday afternoon to rectify the situation.

SEATTLE

Conventional wisdom is that even after nearly a decade, QB RUSSELL WILSON is still being restrained from full greatness by the Seahawks.  Brady Henderson of ESPN.com:

Something different happened when the Seattle Seahawks hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9 last season:

They came out throwing.

Eight of their first nine offensive plays were Russell Wilson passes, a noticeable deviation for a team known for establishing its running game under coach Pete Carroll.

The Seahawks’ offensive approach early in that overtime victory might be instructive when it comes to one of the more fascinating subplots of their 2020 season — whether Carroll and coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will alter the way they use their $35-million-a-season quarterback.

A vocal segment of the Seahawks’ fan base hopes they do. They’ve started a social media movement called “Let Russ Cook,” which has become a popular hashtag on Twitter and even made its way onto T-shirts. It’s a plea for the Seahawks to lean on their best player in what’s long been one of the NFL’s most run-heavy offenses.

To Jake Heaps, Wilson’s former Seahawks teammate and now his personal quarterback coach, that doesn’t necessarily mean throwing the ball 40 times a game. They could let Russ cook simply by putting the ball in his hands earlier.

“Establishing the run is great and it’s needed in every NFL football game and every football game in general, but establishing the run doesn’t mean you have to have more run attempts in the first quarter and second quarter of games in order to do so,” said Heaps, who also co-hosts on 710 ESPN Seattle. “So instead of being balanced and focusing on establishing the run, it should be being balanced and leaning into your star quarterback, arguably the best quarterback in the league in Russell Wilson.

“You don’t have to lose your identity as an offense but you also can … continue to keep growing and adapting your offense as you go from year to year.”

In Schottenheimer’s two seasons in Seattle, the Seahawks have dropped back to pass on 47% of first-quarter offensive plays, the lowest percentage of any NFL team, according to ESPN Stats and Analysis. For comparison, the Kansas City Chiefs are first at 70.2% over that same span with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Seattle was fifth in first-quarter dropback percentage (60%) from 2016-17, Darrell Bevell’s final two seasons as OC.

Counter to what you’d probably expect, Seattle’s scoring average in the first quarter has been notably higher over the past two seasons (4.63 points/tied for 13th) than 2016-17 (3.09/T-28th) despite the shift towards more running and less Wilson early.

Wilson was diplomatic when asked about his position on “Let Russ Cook,” saying all he cares about is winning. But when a more pointed follow-up asked him if he agrees with the sentiment that he needs to be involved sooner, Wilson gave his wholehearted endorsement.

“Yeah, I definitely think so,” he said before noting that since his rookie season, the Seahawks are 57-0 (including playoffs) when leading by four or more points at halftime. He leads all NFL quarterbacks with 32 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime during that stretch.

“Getting ahead is a key thing,” Wilson said. “I do definitely believe in finishing strong. We’ve won a lot of games in the fourth quarter and been (able) to do some fun things in the fourth quarter and the ends of games, but let’s treat every quarter as the fourth. I think that’s kind of my mentality always.”

Heaps points to the Tampa Bay game as proof the Seahawks can achieve offensive balance without hammering their run game from the start. Chris Carson finished with 105 yards on 16 carries while the Seahawks’ 145 rushing yards were more than their season average. That was against a defense that entered the game as the best in the league against the run by a wide margin.

Schottenheimer might have had that game in mind when he said matchups will help determine how early and often the Seahawks lean on their ninth-year quarterback over their run game.

“We all know Russ is an elite player … and we want him to be involved and we want him to impact the game early, we want to start faster,” Schottenheimer said. “But how does that look each and every week? We don’t know that. It all depends on the opponent that we’re playing.”

In Heaps’ view, Schottenheimer doesn’t get enough credit for the job he’s done aiding Wilson’s growth and fixing the Seahawks’ run game, the two things Carroll hired him to do. And he believes the relationship the two have developed has been beneficial in a way many observers don’t notice, saying Schottenheimer has helped Wilson better manage the line of scrimmage and given him more of a green light to change plays.

But that 47% dropback rate in the first quarter …

“At this point of Russell’s career and where this group is at as a whole, that, to me, that statistic just simply cannot be anymore,” Heaps said. “There has to be growth and adaptation to that offense and I can’t understand why there would be a fight against that.”

Heaps hears opposition from those who believe that what isn’t broken doesn’t need fixing. After all, Wilson has been efficient enough to play at an MVP level. Seattle’s offensive approach has worked well enough for the Seahawks to win at least 10 games and reach the playoffs in seven of Wilson’s eight seasons.

On the other hand, they haven’t advanced past the divisional round since they lost Super Bowl XLIX in January 2015. And they’ve arguably never had a collection of skill players as talented with Greg Olsen leading a loaded group of tight ends, Phillip Dorsett II and eventually Josh Gordon joining Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf in their receiver corps, and Carlos Hyde complementing an already strong backfield.

So will they let Russ cook?

“I’ve said this to you that Russ is the best he’s ever been,” Carroll said. “He’s as far along as he’s ever been. He’s got a fantastic group of guys that he’s learning and growing together with … It’s a really good group he’s working with and he knows he has a running game. He knows he has a running game. Carlos Hyde has just accentuated that, too … what we have depth-wise. So Russ, he’s going to do everything he can. We’re going to try to give him every opportunity to kick butt in every opportunity he gets. So you’re gonna have to wait and see what that all means.”

AFC WEST

DENVER

A crippling development for the Broncos on the cusp of the season.  Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com:

Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller injured a tendon in his ankle near the end of Tuesday’s practice and is expected to need surgery that likely will end his season, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Miller was sent for an MRI shortly after suffering the injury, and as of Tuesday night, the Broncos were still evaluating the results. Because of inclement weather, the Broncos practiced on an indoor field, and Miller, several team sources said, was injured as the practice drew to a close. Two team sources said the injury happened on “the last play” of practice.

Miller will visit noted foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this week for a second opinion about surgery, a source told ESPN. That appointment is expected to be on Thursday.

Miller has been one of the Broncos’ most durable players throughout his career, rarely missing practice unless he is held out for rest. Overall, he has missed just one game the past six seasons: Dec. 1, 2019, against the Los Angeles Chargers. Miller had a consecutive games streak of 95, with a total of 5,251 defensive snaps played in the streak, when he missed the game against the Chargers because of a knee injury.

Before that, Miller missed the 2013 regular-season finale after he tore his ACL in a Week 16 win over the Houston Texans. He missed the first six games of that season because of a suspension.

The Broncos started Tuesday’s practice at noon, and the workout was considered an extra practice for the team because Denver doesn’t open the season until Monday against the Tennessee Titans.

The eight-time Pro Bowl selection was poised for a big year, having started his workouts for the 2020 season just days after the 2019 season ended. Miller repeatedly has said what a disappointment 2019 was for him, as he finished with eight sacks, marking his first season since 2013 with fewer than 10, and the Broncos missed the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

He added some weight in the offseason and maintained his trademark quickness, routinely showing in training camp practices that he was in top form. Miller had COVID-19 in April and was one of the first players in the league to publicly disclose that he had tested positive.

Broncos’ president of football operations/general manager John Elway said recently: “I think Von’s had a good camp. He looks like he’s ready to go.”

More from Mike Klis of 9news.com:

With Miller out, his backups would be either Malik Reed or Jeremiah Attaochu at outside linebacker. If the team looks outside — and they most likely will — big-name edge rushers who are still unsigned include Clay Matthews III, Cameron Wake and Terrell Suggs. Per the NFL Players Association website, the Broncos have the 6th-most salary cap space at $31.1 million.

Money, though, won’t buy the next Von Miller, at least not as the Broncos’ season will commence on Monday with a home game against the Tennessee Titans.

The Broncos’ other starting outside linebacker, Bradley Chubb, is returning from an ACL surgery in his left knee. Chubb sat out last week’s practice to rest his knee after he felt some discomfort during a practice Aug. 29 at Empower Field at Mile High.

The team lost another outside linebacker, Justin Hollins, to waivers and the Los Angeles Rams over the weekend.

Miller will still be paid $18 million this season, the fifth year of what was a defensive player record six-year, $114.5 million contract extension following his Super Bowl heroics. He is due to make $18 million next year, although none of that money is guaranteed.

A late report says there is a chance Miller could play late in the season.

Von Miller‘s season is over. Unless it isn’t.

NFL Media reports that Miller has a dislocated peroneal tendon in his ankle. He likely will have surgery, with a general recovery time of five to six months. Per the report, the “absolute best-case scenario” would entail Miller missing only three months.

The 2020 COVID-19 personnel rules allow every team to place a player on injured reserve with the possibility of returning later in the year. The Broncos could therefore park Miller on IR and, if he’s able to return later in the year, bring him back — along with any other player who has an injury that would keep him from playing for at least a few weeks.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

It’s Captain QB JOE BURROW.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

The absence of a preseason made is impossible to see whether incoming rookie players publicly pass the eyeball test. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow certainly has privately opened eyes in Cincinnati.

Burrow is one of the Cincinnati captains for 2020.

The others are wide receiver A.J. Green, running back Giovani Bernard, punter Kevin Huber, safety Vonn Bell, linebacker Josh Bynes, and safety Shawn Williams.

The decision shows that Burrow is ready to hit the ground as one of the key players in the franchise, fulfilling the promise and the potential that made him the first overall pick in the draft. Come Sunday, he gets a chance to make on the field the same kind of impact he has made in the locker room.

PITTSBURGH

It was a great comeback from a severe injury, but LB RYAN SHAZIER has had to admit he can never make it all the way back to playing shape.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Ryan Shazier, the Steelers linebacker who suffered a serious spinal cord injury during a game in December of 2017, has officially announced his retirement.

Despite the serious injury, Shazier’s retirement announcement was a statement of love for the sport of football.

“When I was five years old I made the greatest discovery of my life: I discovered a game I love, the game of football. Ever since then, I’ve given my life to the game. I love everything about it, playing it, practicing it, studying it, watching it, talking about it and thinking about it. Football gave me everything I could ever want and more. It taught me about hard work, dedication, teamwork, it took me to college and the NFL, it made me money and gave me a life that most people could only dream about. I’m here today to make sure the world loves how much I love the game of football,” Shazier said.

Shazier said he now wants to step away from the game to see what else life has in store for him. His football career didn’t end the way he hoped, but he sounds nothing but grateful about his past and optimistic about his future. Steelers fans and fans of every NFL team will wish him luck in the future.

– – –

A vote of confidence for RB JAMES CONNOR.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Throughout his career, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has preferred a workhorse running back to shoulder most of the backfield workload.

2020 appears no different.

“There is no question about who our bell cow is,” Tomlin said Tuesday, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Our bell cow is James Conner, and he is our primary ball-toter.”

Conner has the talent to carry the Steelers offense, earning 973 yards and 12 rushing TDs in 2018, while adding 55 catches and 497 receiving yards with an additional score. Last year, however, Conner dealt with injuries that wiped out six games and took him out early in two others.

Conner still led the Steelers in rushing last year, but the 464 yards marked the first time in more than 50 years that the Steelers hadn’t had a player rush for more than 500 yards. In three seasons, Conner has never played in more than 14 games, and he’s missed nine the past two years due to injury.

While the plan is for Conner to get most of the workload, if injury strikes again, Benny Snell — who reportedly looked good in camp — Jaylen Samuels and fourth-round rookie Anthony McFarland could play a change-of-pace role.

“We have players with unique and different talents,” Tomlin said. “We are not opposed to utilizing all of those talents.”

If he has his way, Tomlin will ride Conner until the wheels fall off — a phrase he once famously employed to describe his usage of former Steeler Willie Parker. Only injury should keep Conner from being one of the few workhorse backs in the NFL in 2020.

“You have a Pro Bowl-type of running back as a starter that, when healthy, is as good as any in the league,” running backs coach Eddie Faulkner said of Conner. “You have a bunch of guys that skill sets fit what we look for, whether that is Jaylen Samuels and his versatility. Whether that is Anthony McFarland and his change of direction and burst. And, obviously, Benny Snell came in and did some good things for us his first year and [has] only gotten better. I just look around the room and see a lot of talented guys who can help us.”

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Tim Keown of ESPN.com hopes that money will change QB DESHAUN WATSON:

Deshaun Watson is asked a question — What unique challenges does a Black quarterback face when deciding to speak up on social issues? — and he begins to answer without thinking. It’s as if a button on the jukebox is pressed, and the song enters the room. “I think you have to watch what you say sometimes,” he says. “And I feel like –“

He stops, looks down, resets. He is not satisfied with the curated, focus-group answer he is about to give. His large hands slap his knees, and he looks back at the camera. Watson and I are 2,000 miles apart, connected only through technology, but I can see the layers being strip-mined as he reconsiders. The Houston Texans quarterback was ready to do what he’s always done: say the right thing, be gracious and respectful and polite, conform to the standards of those who want to be entertained by his actions and made comfortable with his words.

“Honestly, I’m going to take that back,” he says. “To keep it real with you, I feel like whenever a Black quarterback speaks up, the outside world sometimes doesn’t think they’re educated enough to know what’s going on. So in reality, they’re like, ‘Hey, y’all Black quarterbacks — shut up. Y’all don’t know what y’all talking about.'”

His body language and his words convey a single sentiment: Enough. Enough with being judged, for as long as you can remember, by how you carry yourself and what you wear and whether you speak with requisite deference. Enough with fading into the background and issuing anodyne blandishments when someone publicly ascribes a failed late-game decision to the color of your skin. Enough with politely declining to comment when the man who owns your franchise suggests that players kneeling during the national anthem projects an image of “inmates” running “the prison.” Enough with being told there’s a right way and a wrong way and your way is always wrong. Enough with gratitude being mistaken for complicity, grace being defined as weakness, and money being viewed as insulation against injustice.

Enough with fearing that your voice will alienate the money and power that sits in judgment behind thick luxury-suite glass. Enough with being told you need to be educated before you address something the entire world can see with its own eyes.

Enough.

A BLACK QUARTERBACK (Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes) is the Super Bowl champion. Another (Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson) is the NFL MVP. Watson, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, Cam Newton, Teddy Bridgewater, Dak Prescott — there has never been a more empowered or talented group of Black men playing the most scrutinized and fetishized position in sports.

This offseason, in a culture flailing to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and a police-brutality epidemic, these men have decided to risk public reproach — from their league, the public, the president of the United States — and speak their minds. On June 2, a week after George Floyd died when a police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly eight minutes, Watson spoke with his feet, marching with Floyd’s family and several Texans teammates through the streets of Houston. They chanted, their voices bouncing off the hard asphalt and rising in the air. Watson made no public statements — “I didn’t have to say much,” he says, “but just being there with the family and everyone in the city was a must” — but his presence alone could be seen as perilous; before this spring, no Black NFL quarterback had taken a public stand against police violence since Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem in 2016.

“It was sick for those policemen to sit there and know that this man is dying and he’s yelling for his mom who’s not even there,” Watson says. “Speaking about it now, it’s tough because it makes me angry for them to do that. … I feel like we got to keep pushing forward to make sure everyone knows this is what’s going on in the world and that it needs to stop — and that it’s going to stop.”

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Two days after the march, Watson appeared with Mahomes and other prominent Black NFL players in a video challenging the league to take racism more seriously. Titled “Stronger Together,” the video was an unvarnished plea for the NFL to condemn racism and admit its error in shutting down protests. “How many times do we have to ask you to listen to your players?” Tyrann Mathieu asks the camera, in a tone that does not suggest he is awaiting an answer.

Commissioner Roger Goodell and the owners had been accustomed to setting the agenda on social justice, and now the ground was shifting beneath them. Think about what has happened in sports since the death of Floyd. The Confederate flag is no longer welcome at NASCAR races. The NBA returned with BLACK LIVES MATTER painted on the court and pleas for change — league-sanctioned pleas, but still — on the backs of jerseys. There were labor strikes during the NBA and WNBA playoffs after another Black man, Jacob Blake Jr., was shot seven times in the back by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Major League Baseball teams, of all unlikely entities, staged a rolling and somewhat disjointed labor strike of their own. Every NBA arena announced intentions to provide massive, safe polling places on Nov. 3, and many NFL teams — including Watson’s Texans — have announced plans to do the same.

After the “Stronger Together” video was released, Goodell put out a new statement of his own, admitting — too late, but still — that the league was wrong about Kaepernick and saying that it will not stand in the way of on-field protest. Widely reported to be a key factor in Goodell’s change of heart? The participation in the video of Watson and Mahomes. Now high-profile Black athletes — even high-profile, alpha-male, leader-of-men, face-of-the-franchise Black quarterbacks — are no longer holding back.

– – –

This weekend, 10 Black quarterbacks are expected to start at the position for their teams, the most in NFL history, and perhaps it was inevitable that a social justice movement among players in the NFL would gain traction only if led by those men. Earlier this summer, Texans coach Bill O’Brien, partly in response to Watson’s activism, vowed to kneel with his players, and every team is expected to either kneel en masse or engage in another form of unified protest (Watson said Monday that he and his teammates are still discussing their actions for the season opener). It’s jarring to consider: Four years after Kaepernick began his protest, kneeling in 2020 will be seen as the socially acceptable protest, nonthreatening and comfortable. Kaepernick was a soloist; Watson is one voice in a chorus.

“It feels different,” Watson says. “It feels like a change is happening. It feels like voices are getting heard.”

He is no longer the guy shrinking onstage in January. His tone is no longer conciliatory and overly deferential. Enough. Watson is correct: Voices are getting heard, because voices are getting used — some for the first time.

There is quite a bit in a similar vein between the “- – -“ that you can read here.

This is interesting on Watson in high school:

His 24 years on earth have been lived in service of gratitude and conciliation. He is everyone’s friend, facilitator, mediator, the one who sees similarities in the differences and common ground in the most uncommon places. His fourth-grade teacher in Gainesville, Georgia, Leslie Frierson, says, “He would sit back, observe situations and not be impulsive. He takes it all in and has a vision for down the road; I swear this was evident when he was 9.”

There’s a story they like to tell in Gainesville that typifies the Deshaun they know. In high school, he worked as a clerk for Hall County Judge C. Andrew Fuller. He was given a key to the office, and the judge made a point to inform the deputies who patrolled the courthouse that Watson was allowed to come and go as needed. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the football season, he finished practice and went straight to the courthouse, working until 10 p.m. He took Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays off, went to church Sunday morning and worked through the afternoon and evening, sometimes as long as 12 hours.

He did all this while winning a state championship and keeping an A average at Gainesville High. One day he was asked, “What do your coaches think of this schedule you’re keeping?”

Watson, seeming surprised by the question, replied, “I don’t think they know.”

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

Big money from the Bills for CB Tre’DAVIOUS WHITE.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Buffalo Bills corner Tre’Davious White inked a four-year, $70 million extension over the weekend, making him the highest-paid CB in the NFL.

White joined NFL Network’s Good Morning Football on Wednesday and said he’s still in disbelief about signing a life-changing contract.

“I’m still in shock,” White said. “It’s just something that I really couldn’t put into words. I was just having a talk with my dad the day before I signed. I was like ‘Dad, what are the odds of this happening to me?’ I understand hard work and dedication brings great things, but never in my life would I ever imagine that this would happen to me. From everything I’ve had to endure. Everything I’ve had to overcome, just growing up. I was like, ‘Dad, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but I’m lucky as hell.’ Because I was fortunate enough to go through it and not have any nagging injuries to stop me from performing on the field, anything to stop me. No setbacks. I said, ‘Dad, I’m extremely lucky too.’ There are a lot of guys who work hard, but there is something, some roadblocks along the way that stop them getting to that position. But I’m extremely blessed. I’m extremely thankful. It’s something that I’m still in shock, like I said.”

White earned every bit of his $55 million in guarantees on his new deal.

Growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, White attended LSU where he was one of the best cover-corners entering the draft in 2017. The Bills snagged him with the No. 27 overall pick that year. Throughout the past three seasons, White has worked his way into the upper echelon of cornerbacks. In 2019 he was named first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler, netting six INTs, 17 passes defended, two forced fumbles and 58 tackles in 15 games.

White is the glue that holds Sean McDermott’s defense together on the back end. The 25-year-old has smooth hips that allow him to stick with shifty receivers, strength to battle bigger players and the stickiness of double-sided tape.

He might still be in shock, but no one who has watched White play the past several years would walk away thinking he’s not one of the top corners in the NFL and didn’t deserve to get paid as such.

THIS AND THAT

COPING WITH COVID

This from Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com:

Only one NFL player produced a confirmed positive coronavirus test during the league’s most recent testing period, another encouraging report as the league prepares this week to open its 2020 regular season.

According to data released Tuesday, the league tested 2,641 players and 5,708 other personnel between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5. In addition to the one player, seven other staff members also produced a positive result. Since the true start of training camp Aug. 12, a total of 24 people have produced confirmed positive tests.

KAEP, MADDEN AND QB RANKINGS

Who would you rather have in real life – Colin Kaepernick or QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER?

If you’re playing Madden, they think it is a coin flip.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.comgives a sympathetic ear to Kaep’s Madden inclusion point:

The folks who create the video game that enjoys the exclusive license from the NFL not only has welcomed quarterback Colin Kaepernick back to the game but also has given him an 81 overall rating.

That number is higher than the initial rating for more than half of the league’s starting quarterbacks.

Kaepernick’s 81 is higher than 17 other Week One starters: Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (80), Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (79), Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (78), Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (78), Bills quarterback Josh Allen (77), Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (77), Rams quarterback Jared Goff (76), Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (76), Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (75), Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (74), Jets quarterback Sam Darnold (73), Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (72), Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (72), Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (70), Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins (70), Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew (70), and Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor (69).

Kaepernick’s 81 also matches Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and it’s only one number behind Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and Colts quarterback Philip Rivers, at 82.

And while this is only the opinion of the people who set the ratings for the Madden game not actual NFL scouts, this is the company in which the NFL has entrusted its official video game. And, right or wrong, that company has pegged Kaepernick at any 81. Which even if it’s a little off represents an indictment of a league of teams that have collectively shunned Kaepernick since he became a free agent in March 2017.

This from Clay Travis:

“Colin Kaepernick has somehow gotten better at playing quarterback according to Madden, despite the fact that he hasn’t played in four years.” -@ClayTravis

On a related subject – Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com offers these QB rankings:

We are proud to introduce this year’s QB Power Rankings, a weekly feature that’ll be your cut-and-dry guide to the best and the worst of the NFL’s signal-callers — a 1-to-32 rundown of every starter under center.

A couple of notes, before we get started:

This isn’t strictly a projection of where QBs will rank by the end of 2020, or even where they stand today (Tom Brady, for example, is ahead of both Watson and Carson Wentz, but the latter two are obviously superior long-term talents). Rather, it’s a combination of both, taking into consideration a QB’s resume, upside and current team situation.

After Week 1, the rankings will be more of a true weekly reflection, fluctuating with each game performance. So, for example, if Daniel Jones throws 450 yards on Pittsburgh’s defense (unlikely), he’ll probably shoot up the board for Week 2.

Love the rankings? Absolutely despise them? Either way, thanks for reading, and be sure to fire your feedback via Twitter.

1 – Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Do you need an explanation? Any team, save for maybe the Ravens , would happily swap their QB for No. 15 here. It feels like we’re already taking for granted just how athletic, poised and polished this guy is at 24. With a championship-level supporting cast, all signs point to Mahomes storming back into the MVP conversation.

2 – Lamar Jackson, Ravens

He’s still got the playoffs to tackle, and you could argue he still has room to grow as a passer. But there is pretty much no defending him otherwise. If Jackson is on the field, he’s an immediate threat to score. Easily the most explosive dual-threat QB of his time.

3 – Russell Wilson, Seahawks

He’s been doing his thing for a long time now, but Wilson is as nimble at 31 as he was at 26. We can roll our eyes at Seattle’s run-first approach all day, but the fact is he’s still thrown at least 30 TDs in four of the last five seasons. Pencil him in for another 30 in 2020, with the Seahawks touting a rock-solid receiving corps.

4 – Drew Brees, Saints

Now in his 40s, Brees might seem like a risky top-five placement after missing five games due to injury in 2019, but we can’t overlook the numbers: He’s completed more than 70 percent of his throws in three straight years and is poised to contend for an MVP operating a loaded attack ( Alvin Kamara , Michael Thomas , Emmanuel Sanders ) this year.

5 – Dak Prescott, Cowboys

We’ve seen Dak crumble without his weapons before, but the trajectory since 2018 has been as promising as that of any QB. He may never boast the acrobatic wizardry of a Mahomes or Jackson, but Prescott is a smart, accurate and sturdy presence in the pocket. He’s also got the benefit of a monster WR corps in 2020.

6 – Tom Brady, Buccaneers

Old Man River has been written off in some corners for an uninspiring finale in New England, but he’s still one of the game’s most dedicated pocket technicians. Consider that, over the last five years, from ages 38-42, Brady has totaled 149 TDs, just 36 INTs and 280 yards per game. Now consider that he’s in a much better, more explosive offense in Tampa.

7 – Deshaun Watson, Texans

Handsomely (and rightfully) paid, Watson is more privy to bad games than you’d think, but when he’s on, he can go tit-for-tat with anyone. You have to wonder whether his ceiling would be higher if Houston’s roster were managed differently.

8 – Carson Wentz, Eagles        

He’s finished three straight seasons on the sidelines but — believe it or not — has also started all 16 games twice. In other words, yes, the injuries are a concern, but they’re not the end-all, be-all description of a guy who’s thrown 81 TDs and just 21 INTs since 2017. The Eagles could use a touch more stability from No. 11, but he’s physically capable of top-five feats.

9 – Matt Ryan, Falcons

The interception bug was back in 2019, but you pretty much always know what you’re going to get with Ryan. He’s also had an on-and-off leap into MVP-caliber numbers as of late, and 2020 would mark an “on” year. With his receivers, it’s possible.

10 – Matthew Stafford, Lions

The opinions are often varied when it comes to Stafford, who’s never won a playoff game and is fresh off a back fracture that cost him half the 2019 season. But if you need a guy who can sling it, he’s your guy. On an MVP pace prior to his injury, Stafford has the arm and guts to win any shootout, and this year he’s got an underrated offense around him.

11 – Aaron Rodgers, Packers

Like Brady, he’s been shrugged off as “old news” by a good handful just because of 2019, when he had few answers in some big games but still tossed 26 TDs compared to just four INTs. Is he still the Unstoppable A-Rod of years past? Not necessarily. But let’s not kid ourselves. Even with an underwhelming WR corps, most teams would kill to have him running the show.

12 – Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

Everything is riding on his surgically repaired elbow, but all signs point to a big rebound for Big Ben. He’s never been immune to a sloppy day or a string of turnovers, but rested and recharged, there’s little reason he won’t return to Pro Bowl form.

13 – Kyler Murray, Cardinals

This is a lofty projection for a second-year starter with plenty of growing to do. (If Murray wants to last 16 games, he has to be more decisive not only with his throws but moving in the pocket.) But the intangibles and raw dual-threat skills are undeniable. Having Kenyan Drake , DeAndre Hopkins , Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk helps.

14 – Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers

He’s not a perfect signal-caller, and if we’re being honest, even at 28, he’s still a young signal-caller in terms of full-time experience. Imagine, though, how our perception would be different had San Francisco held on to win the Super Bowl. At the end of the day, Jimmy G is still an ideal play-action operator for Kyle Shanahan’s attack.

15 – Kirk Cousins, Vikings

A highly efficient gamer with an underrated deep ball off the play action, Cousins thrives as part of Minnesota’s run-first approach. The underlying concern: When things break down, or when the season’s on the line, will he ever be the showstopper to save the day? The Vikings ‘ perennial O-line issues don’t help.

16 – Philip Rivers, Colts

Is Rivers, at 38, the guy who threw 20 INTs on a 5-11 Chargers team in 2019, or the guy who threw 32 TDs on a 12-4 Chargers team the year prior? Probably somewhere in between. Behind a rock-solid Indy front, he’s due for a spike in production.

17 – Josh Allen, Bills

Allen’s No. 17 placement is fitting, considering he’s still a polarizing player entering Year three. Is he the next star QB breakout? Is he doomed to over-rely on his own athleticism? He’s taken strides, but he remains a boom-or-bust play-maker.

18 – Baker Mayfield, Browns

The former No. 1 overall pick endured lots of justified criticism for a 2019 backslide that saw the one-time preseason MVP candidate devolve into backyard play under Freddie Kitchens. He’s still got the arm and moxie to make Cleveland proud, though, and the supporting cast — coupled with new coach Kevin Stefanski — promise big things in 2020.

19 – Jared Goff, Rams

It’s hard to completely write him off, mostly because Sean McVay has milked elite production from him on multiple occasions. But Goff has shown us repeatedly he’ll waffle under pressure behind Los Angeles’ shaky O-line. The scheme and protection better be mapped out to a tee if the Rams want him to make good on their investment.

20 – Derek Carr, Raiders

Jon Gruden has clung to his guy despite annual forecasts of change, but Carr probably is what he is: A middle-of-the-road starter who operates best within a run-first, quick-strike attack. That said, if the Raiders ‘ new toys at WR truly show out, perhaps his numbers will finally match his commitment to being “the guy” in Vegas.

21 – Ryan Tannehill, Titans

Taking over for Marcus Mariota in 2019 proved he’s still got plenty of juice in the tank, but are we to completely ignore the seven years of work he logged in Miami? Tennessee will keep Derrick Henry as the focus, but that’s because they kind of have to.

22 – Joe Burrow, Bengals

Rookies rarely dominate in Year one, even with Andrew Luck-level hype. Burrow should at least bring enough poise and swagger to a team used to mediocrity, however, to raise eyebrows early on.

23 – Drew Lock, Broncos

You can’t buy too much into a five-game sample size, but Lock looked surprisingly comfortable running Denver’s offense down the stretch as a rookie. If somehow the Broncos OL can hold up, he’s got the weapons to make a big leap in 2020.

24 – Cam Newton, Patriots

The league is better when Cam Newton is having fun, and he’ll no doubt be motivated to show off in his new digs, with Josh McDaniels getting creative to use the QB’s legs. It’s tough to slot him much higher, though, after repeat injury-riddled seasons and, more so, the fact he hasn’t even been a consistently great passer since … 2015?

25 – Tyrod Taylor, Chargers

It’s impossible to get carried away with the idea of a Taylor resurgence after how poorly his forgotten Browns stint unfolded, but as a conservative and well-liked leader, you could do a lot worse picking a vet to run the Chargers’ talented offense.

26 – Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dolphins

You know exactly what you’re getting with the 37-year-old: A lot of spunk, a big potential for improbable plays (and victories), and probably even more potential for game-altering turnovers. He’s a surefire mixed bag, but a fun one, at least.

27 – Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers

You could certainly make a case for Teddy over both Taylor and Fitzpatrick. He’s a likable leader who made a seamless transition to starter as Brees’ injury replacement in New Orleans. Still, what’s his ceiling? He remains incredibly conservative.

28 – Daniel Jones, NY Giants

There’s a legitimate case to be made for Jones as this year’s second-year breakout. We don’t talk enough about how polished he was, in some areas, as a rookie. And yet, behind that Giants OL, can we trust he’ll even get a chance to break the fumbling habit?

29 – Gardner Minshew, Jaguars

Going strictly off the numbers, Minshew should be in the same conversation as Lock, Jones and Murray as far as second-year QBs with the potential to go off. The only problem: He likes to hold onto the ball, and he plays for a team in total disarray.

30 – Dwayne Haskins, Football Team

Things should be better in 2020, with Ron Rivera in town and guys like Antonio Gibson and Terry McLaurin ready to lighten his load. How much better can they really be, though?

31 – Sam Darnold, NY Jets

If you believe he’s still capable of top-15 production, that’s fine. But don’t you dare try to sell us on his comeback playing under Adam Gase and for an organization clearly headed for a 2021 rebuild.

32 – Mitchell Trubisky, Bears

Trubisky probably isn’t as bad as his fiercest critics suggest, but there’s a reason Chicago spent money and draft capital to challenge his job in a contract year. When can you ever count on him to single-handedly win you a game?

Not that 25 is that high, but aren’t there some names below TYROD TAYLOR that you could/should rank higher (DANIEL JONES comes to mind).

We also think KYLER MURRAY is a bit low, especially compared to CARSON WENTZ.

2021 MOCK DRAFT

Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com offers us an early Mock Draft.

1 – JACKSONVILLE

Trevor Lawrence QB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’6″ / 220 LBS

The best player in this draft class. Whether you think the Jags are officially Tanking for Trevor or not, there’s every reason to believe that he will be the first-overall pick, whichever team holds the selection.

2 – WASHINGTON

Penei Sewell OL

OREGON • JR • 6’6″ / 330 LBS

The Redskins shipped Trent Williams to the 49ers in the spring and while they drafted Saahdiq Charles and recently traded for David Sharpe, Geron Christian will earn the job ahead of Week 1. Sewell, meanwhile, is a plug-and-play prospect whose rare blend of strength and athleticism makes him a top-5 pick.

3 – CINCINNATI

Ja’Marr Chase WR

LSU • JR • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

The Bengals are in rebuild mode, but it could be a much quicker turnaround with Joe Burrow under center. Providing him with weapons like Chase, especially since A.J. Green is 31 and playing on the franchise tag, makes a lot of sense.

4 – N.Y. JETS

Micah Parsons LB

PENN STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 244 LBS

Freakishly athletic, Parsons has opted out of the 2020 college football season. In New York, he’d be the centerpiece of a defense that just traded Jamal Adams.

5 – MIAMI

Gregory Rousseau DL

MIAMI (FL) • SOPH • 6’7″ / 265 LBS

Rousseau came out of nowhere in 2019, logging 15.5 sacks for the Hurricanes. He’d give the Dolphins a much-needed spark off the edge.

6 – CAROLINA

Justin Fields QB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 228 LBS

Is Teddy Bridgewater the long-term answer or a stopgap? If Fields is available, the Panthers would be hard-pressed to pass him up; he had a standout campaign for the Buckeyes in 2019, his first year with the program after transferring from Georgia.

7 – N.Y. GIANTS

Patrick Surtain II DB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’2″ / 203 LBS

Surtain was arguably the best defensive back on Alabama’s roster last season, one that included Trevon Diggs and Xavier McKinney. The Giants have needs in the secondary and Surtain could step into a starting role immediately.

8 – LAS VEGAS

Christian Barmore DL

ALABAMA • SOPH • 6’5″ / 310 LBS

Johnathan Hankins and Maliek Collins’ contracts expire after the 2020 season and Barmore, who was a part-time player a year ago, could be primed for a Quinnen Williams-type breakout campaign.

9 – DETROIT

Caleb Farley DB

VIRGINIA TECH • JR • 6’2″ / 207 LBS

The Lions drafted Jeff Okudah and signed Desmond Trufant to a two-year deal but you can never have enough big-play corners — and that’s exactly what Farley, who has opted out of the ’20 season, has the potential to become.

10- MIAMI (from Houston)

Dylan Moses LB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’3″ / 240 LBS

Moses would have likely been in the first-round conversation had he come out after last season, but he tore his ACL in August 2019 and decided to return to Alabama, where early reports are that he’s consistently been a practice standout.

11 – DENVER

Rashawn Slater OL

NORTHWESTERN • JR • 6’3″ / 305 LBS

Slater was dominant at left tackle last season, and he played right tackle the two seasons before that. Meanwhile, Garett Bolles could be entering the final year of his rookie deal should the Broncos choose not to pick up his fifth-year option.

12 – L.A. CHARGERS

Wyatt Davis OL

OHIO STATE • SOPH • 6’4″ / 313 LBS

Trai Turner is the right guard but the Chargers, who just used a top-10 pick on franchise quarterback Justin Herbert, could be looking to upgrade the left guard position, and Wyatt Davis is the best interior lineman in this class.

13 – CLEVELAND

Jaylen Waddle WR

ALABAMA • JR • 5’10” / 182 LBS

We know about Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarivs Landry, but Jaylen Waddle brings another level of speed and athleticism to the field. Added bonus: he can return kicks.

14 – CHICAGO

Trey Lance QB

NORTH DAKOTA STATE • FR • 6’3″ / 221 LBS

Mitchell Trubisky won the starting job, but unless he has a transformational 2020 season the Bears will be looking for their next franchise QB. Lance is short on experience but long on just about everything else you look for in an NFL quarterback.

15 – ATLANTA

Kyle Pitts TE

FLORIDA • JR • 6’6″ / 239 LBS

Austin Hooper is gone and Hayden Hurst will have to prove himself in Atlanta. Pitts, one of the best athletes in this entire class, can line up anywhere and threaten all three levels of the defense.

16 – ARIZONA

Trey Smith OL

TENNESSEE • SR • 6’6″ / 330 LBS

This is Kyler Murray’s team and it only makes sense to continue to build around him. The Cards passed on an OT in Round 1 to grab Isaiah Simmons, but Smith, who played tackle earlier in his career, is a road grader on the interior.

17 – TENNESSEE

Rondale Moore WR

PURDUE • SOPH • 5’9″ / 180 LBS

Moore played in just four games last season because of a hamstring injury, and he’s opted out for 2020, but he’s one of the most dynamic playmakers in this draft class.

18 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Samuel Cosmi OL

TEXAS • JR • 6’7″ / 309 LBS

The Jags drafted their franchise QB and now they need to protect him. Cosmi solidified the left side of the Longhorns offensive line and he’ll play opposite Jacksonville’s 2019 second-rounder, Jawaan Taylor.

19 – PITTSBURGH

Jayson Oweh DE

Bud Dupree is playing on the franchise tag and if Pittsburgh can’t find a way to pay both him and T.J. Watt, they could look to the draft for their next freakishly athletic edge rusher. Oweh needs more reps, but he’s flashed the type of potential that could make him a first-round pick.

20 – MINNESOTA

Rashod Bateman WR

MINNESOTA • SOPH • 6’2″ / 210 LBS

Stefon Diggs is gone to Buffalo. And while Adam Thielen remains the top target, and rookie Justin Jefferson will have a chance to contribute immediately, adding Bateman could give the Vikings three of the best young wideouts in the division.

21 – INDIANAPOLIS

Trevon Moehrig S

TCU • JR • 6’2″ / 208 LBS

Malik Hooker is entering the final year of his rookie deal but even if he remains in Indy adding Moehrig would make sense. The TC standout excels in coverage and can play both deep centerfield and closer to the line of scrimmage.

22 – GREEN BAY

Devonta Smith WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 175 LBS

Imagine that: the Packers using a first-round pick (or any pick!) on a wide receiver. Smith’s slight frame is a concern, but he’s instant offense with the ball in his hands.

23 – BUFFALO

Carlos Basham Jr. EDGE

WAKE FOREST • SR • 6’5″ / 285 LBS

Basham is both athletic and powerful but he’s still learning the position. He’d join a young, physical defense in Buffalo that was among the league’s best a season ago.

24 – NY JETS (from Seattle)

Jalen Mayfield OL

MICHIGAN • JR • 6’5″ / 320 LBS

A year after using a first-round pick on Mekhi Becton, the Jets bookend him with right tackle Jalen Mayfield, who announced in August that he was leaving Michigan to prepare for the NFL Draft.

25 – PHILADELPHIA

Pat Freiermuth TE

PENN STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 259 LBS

Can the Eagles afford both Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert? If they choose not to make that decision they could instead opt to draft their next Ertz in Freiermuth, who isn’t the most athletic TE in this class but he does everything at a high level.

26 – NEW ENGLAND

Kyle Trask QB

FLORIDA • SR • 6’5″ / 239 LBS

Is Cam Newton the answer? Even if he is, he’s only on a one-year deal. Trask, who plays like a grizzled vet even though he didn’t become the starter until last fall, could see his draft stock skyrocket with a strong 2020 season.

27 – DALLAS

Hamsah Nasirildeen S

FLORIDA STATE • SR • 6’4″ / 220 LBS

The Cowboys beefed up the defense with rookies Trevon Diggs and Neville Gallimore, but the need at safety remains. Nasirlideen’s 2019 season ended early to a knee injury, but he displays the type of versatility and athleticism that could eventually see him go in Round 1.

28 – TAMPA BAY

Kwity Paye DL

MICHIGAN • SR • 6’4″ / 272 LBS

Paye is an athletic marvel who will only get better with more reps. Unfortunately, Michigan’s season is currently on hold, which means Paye may be more of a projection than he would be in a typical year.

29 – NEW ORLEANS

Shaun Wade CB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’1″ / 195 LBS

Janoris Jenkins is 31 and the Saints can get out of his contract after the 2020 season. And even if they don’t, Wade, who can play inside our out, upgrades the Saints secondary with another Ohio State product.

30 – SAN FRANCISCO

Jevon Holland S

OREGON • JR • 6’1″ / 200 LBS

Holland plays mostly out of the slot, where his physicality allows him to be disruptive in the passing game and an asset in run support. He also returns punts.

31 – BALTIMORE

Creed Humphrey OL

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’5″ / 307 LBS

Matt Skura is in the final year of his contract and Humphrey, the anchor of a dominant offensive line at Oklahoma, has been the center for Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts.

32 – KANSAS CITY

Nick Bolton LB

MISSOURI • JR • 6’0″ / 232 LBS

Bolton is one of the best players no one talked much about this summer, but he adds youth, speed and explosiveness to a young Chiefs defense.